Wednesday, March 14, 2012

He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sade Kane can’t seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos.

To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent’s shadow... or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld

Emmeline Thistle has always had a mysterious bond with cows, beginning on the night of her birth, when the local bovines saved the infant cast aside to die in the forest. But Emmeline was unaware that this bond has also given her a magical ability to transform milk into chocolate, a very valuable gift in a kingdom where chocolate is more rare and more precious than gold or jewels. Then one day Owen Oak, a dairyman’s son, teaches Emmeline to churn milk into butter – and instead she creates a delicious chocolate confection that immediately makes her a target for every greedy, power-hungry person in the kingdom of Anglund. Only Owen loves Emmeline for who she truly is, not her magical skill. But is his love enough to save her from the danger all around her?

This is supposed to be an ungly duckling retelling. It just sounds so...different with the cow/milk/chocolate angle that we've got to check it out.

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas's life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from.

Still not sure if it's dystopian since it's 1985, but looks interesting.

LOVE the cover for The Sweetest Spell, it's absolutely gorgeous. I haven't heard of it before either and it 100% needs to be on my TBR list:) You're killing me with all these awesome books, my list can't take much more or I'll need to be a full-time blogger:)

Very interesting picks... I have to say, at first reading, that Selfors blurb confused the heck out of me. It sounds like one I'll have to read to figure out. I love the sound of Yesterday, definitely. Great choices!

A connection to cows? Okay, that's different. I'm looking forward to finding out show she makes milk into chocolate! I need that secret! Yes, call me one of those greedy people, but I love my chocolate. :)

Okay, all over the Rick Riordan thing! We are big fans in this house. My 12 yr old plies through these books like they were 20 pages long. But The Sweetest Spell! I had to laugh at that one! Great cover but COWS? That's stretching it a bit thin for me. But I'm gonna read your review, cause I trust you! Still, cows??? I've seen Yesterday around, maybe on Net Galley. I can't decide about it. They've been to the future and kicked back to 1985? Poor things. I'll be really interested to see your review of that!

The Rick Riordan is a big deal in our house but I've got to tell you the Sweetest Spell sounds a bit silly. It has chocolate in it though so silly is totally acceptable. Excuse me I need a Hershey bar now.